Do not take your hearing aids out!  It is important to understand that there is an adjustment process that takes place with new hearing aids.  If you take your hearing aids out, this process cannot occur. 

Since your hearing loss has been progressing over time, these sounds have not traveled to your brain for processing.  If your brain has not been processing sounds over an extended period of time, it can lose the ability to do so.  With hearing aids, your brain is now receiving signals from your ears, and is re-learning how to process those sounds.  It is processing every sound coming through your ears at the same level.  In time, your brain will realize which sounds are important, and which are not, and focus on the important sounds, while placing the less important sounds in the background. 

For instance, if you are walking along on a tile floor, your brain will realize it’s not important for you to hear every step you make, so it will focus more on the music playing in the room, and less on the sound of the footsteps.

The more hours a day you wear your hearing aids, the sooner this selective hearing will progress.

Ear wax (cerumen) production can vary from person to person, so there is no definite time period for changing wax guards.  For some people, this can be one week, for others a month, and for others even longer.  Generally, when the wax guards are getting full, the sound is not passing through to your ears, so that is the time to take a look at your hearing aids.

If you have silicone tips (domes) on your hearing aids, they generally become occluded with wax first, so changing or cleaning the domes with your brush may solve the problem.  If you still can’t hear well after cleaning or changing the domes, then it is time to change the wax guards.

If you have custom earmolds, then change the wax guards when you are not hearing well.

If you have not changed your wax guards in accordance with the above recommendations, then change them at least every 3 months.

If changing your wax guards does not improve the hearing aids’ performance, call us at 727-584-9696 for an appointment to have your hearing aids checked.

Non-rechargeable, or zinc-air batteries, come in a variety of sizes, depending upon the model of hearing aid.  The most common sizes are:

10, which is the smallest battery available, usually used for small, completely-in-the-canal hearing aids, will last 3-5 days.*

312, which is the next size up and is the most commonly used size, will last 5-7 days.*

13, the next size larger, used for larger hearing aids, will last 7-10 days.*

*Note that these are approximate useful life estimates, as battery life will ultimately depend upon the number of hours used per day, the programming levels of the individual hearing aid, whether the aids are turned off when not in use, and whether the aids are used for streaming phone calls, TV, or computers. 

Please note also, that batteries have a limited shelf life.  Be sure to check the expiration date on the package before you purchase them to be certain they will last until you need to use them.

If the aids are charged every night, the batteries should last for a full day’s use.   The overall life span of a rechargeable battery is about three years.  Note:  battery life will ultimately depend upon the number of hours used per day, the programming levels of the individual hearing aid, and whether the aids are used for streaming phone calls, TV, or computers. 

Hearing loss can be a such a slow process that we don’t notice it happening.  We don’t realize how much we are really missing because we’ve become accustomed to hearing less.  Also, there can be variability in our ability to hear in various situations.  We may do fine in a one-on-one conversation in a quiet environment.  However, we may struggle to hear conversation when there is background noise present.  We may hear a man’s voice just fine, but have difficulty with women’s or children’s voices.

If you are asking people to repeat themselves, you are likely experiencing hearing loss.

The only way to be sure if you do have a hearing loss is to have a comprehensive hearing test performed by a professional.  If you do have a hearing loss, then that professional can recommend an appropriate treatment.

At MedRx Hearing Center, there is no charge for a hearing screening and consultation with the Audiologist so give us a call today 727-584-9696.

There are several things you can do.  Choose a restaurant that does not have a lot of ambient noise.  Restaurants with carpeting, acoustic ceiling tiles, and upholstered furniture are much more conducive to conversations.   Ask to be seated in a booth, if possible.  Avoid the center of the room.  Ask to be seated away from the servers’ station.  Try to go at less busy times when there are fewer people to create background noise.  Choose a restaurant that does not play loud music.  Sit directly across from your dining partner so you can watch their face for visual cues.   Ask your Audiologist about hearing aids with directional microphones that can reduce background noise.

There are treatments for Tinnitus!  Tinnitus is the perception of sound in the brain that is not being transmitted by the outer or middle ear.  It can take the form of ringing in the ears, chirping, crickets, or high-pitched or low-pitched tones. 

Dr. K performs thorough tinnitus evaluations using the latest audiological equipment, the MedRx Tinnometer.  It provides an entirely new approach to tinnitus assessment.  We are now able to determine more precisely than ever the pitch, loudness and sound quality of a patient’s tinnitus.  By having a better understanding of the patient’s tinnitus, Dr. K is better able to design specific tinnitus management techniques which can help improve quality of life by reducing the effect of bothersome tinnitus. 

Make an appointment with Dr. Kluzynski at MedRx Hearing Center, (727) 584-9696, for appropriate testing of your hearing and to determine proper treatment options. 

“Having an ear on each side of our head—known as binaural hearing—helps the brain determine where sound is coming from, increases the range you are able to hear, and provides a more balanced, natural quality of sound. You can hear dramatically better with two ears than you can with one. That’s the main reason why hearing healthcare professionals recommend wearing two hearing aids when you have hearing loss in both ears.”   Healthyhearing.com

NO!  Use of cotton swabs can cause impacted earwax, damage to the ear canal, ear pain, and damage to the eardrum.  Your eardrum consists of three thin layers of skin-like tissue and is very delicate.  The use of cotton swabs actually pushes the wax farther into the ear canal, resulting in blockage.  If the blockage is pushed so far that it touches the eardrum, it can be particularly painful and potentially damage the eardrum.   Make an appointment with a professional (an ENT physician or Audiologist) for ear wax removal.